THIS INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER SEARCHED THE WORLD FOR THE PERFECT SUSTAINABLE RESORT COMMUNITY SITE. HERE’S WHAT HE’S LEARNED ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE OFF THE GRID…
01
Water Depth.
When we were scouting the world for locations to build a residential community, we factored in science quite a bit. In the British Virgin Islands, the average high temperatures are between 82 and 86 degrees year round. The water just offshore here is two miles deep, though, so as long as you have a breeze, you get a landscape that is naturally cooling. Compare that to the Bahamas, where it’s 90 degrees from April through October and the water is only 11 feet deep, and it makes for a much hotter atmosphere.
02
Topography.
Because Oil Nut Bay is a volcanic island, the hills go up to 445 feet, so we can build homesites into the land, capturing both views, as well as placing the house strategically for breezes and capturing solar energy.
03
Solar.
Solar energy was actually illegal when we got here in 2006, and the cost of power was really high. But we convinced the government that we could use solar power, so they let us do it. We require our homeowners to put solar panels on their homes or to buy shares in the community’s solar field.
04
Design.
It’s important to keep things low-density and not build more than you need. We don’t allow anyone to build more than 15,000 square feet of air-conditioned space, and all villas are limited to one story above grade to blend in with the environment from both land and sea. If someone wants a 10- or 12-bedroom house, we encourage them to instead build two separate houses and rent one out when they don’t need the extra space. Often, they realize they don’t actually need that much space. Overhangs are important too, as I learned from being on my boat how important proper shaded areas are. The outdoor temperature doesn’t change when you’re in the shade, but the intensity of the sun does, so you can feel much cooler when you’re shaded. Even just a three-foot overhang in the roof can help block sun from heating the inside of the house more. It’s all about capturing the shade and the breeze, and eliminating direct sunlight.
05
Construction.
It’s important to keep things low-density and not build more than you need. We don’t allow anyone to build more than 15,000 square feet of air-conditioned space, and all villas are limited to one story above grade to blend in with the environment from both land and sea. If someone wants a 10- or 12-bedroom house, we encourage them to instead build two separate houses and rent one out when they don’t need the extra space. Often, they realize they don’t actually need that much space. Overhangs are important too, as I learned from being on my boat how important proper shaded areas are. The outdoor temperature doesn’t change when you’re in the shade, but the intensity of the sun does, so you can feel much cooler when you’re shaded. Even just a three-foot overhang in the roof can help block sun from heating the inside of the house more. It’s all about capturing the shade and the breeze, and eliminating direct sunlight.
